Dealing
by Autumn'sCherryBlossom
Summary: This is a sequel to They Never Expected. Anyway, onto the really bad summary! In the wake of the disastrous conclusion to Itachi and Sasuke’s fight, Sasuke struggles to deal with how his “revenge” has turned out.  Main: Sasusaku


Chapter one

**A/N- I'm back cuz I couldn't just leave ya hanging on what happened to Sasuke and his curse mark now could I? I'll give you just a brief recap of what happened in chapter nineteen of They Never Expected because this chapter is right after that. Anyway I'll shut-up so you can read!**

"_Just wing it!" Sasuke cried in frustration. He was writhing in agony but still his companion did nothing. _

_"I…I can't!" Sakura cried back. _

_"Sakura you can!" Sasuke yelled. "And you have to! Orochimaru will take full control of this body if you don't! That's his way of things! If anyone can stop that it's you! Sakura I know you can do this! I love you!" _

"You…do?" Sakura was stunned. Was this really Uchiha Sasuke talking? The human ice cube? The prodigy who hated everyone and everything especially his teammates? The one who turned his back on his village to join their enemy? The boy who broke her heart as a sport? And now he loved her?

"Yes," Sasuke managed to choke out. "Now please…if I'm going to die here I want to do so free of the curse mark. If Orochimaru doesn't get this body, we'll die; him and me both. This mark wasn't designed to leave survivors."

"But I don't know the hand seals!"

"You don't need to know the friken hand seals! Just concentrate your Chakra!"

Sakura watched in horror as the purple fire like gas climbed higher up Sasuke's neck, burning a trail of white bone in its path. Sasuke screamed louder than he had when the seal had originally been put on him. Sakura clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut tight. She didn't want to see this. She didn't want to be responsible. Why did she have to be the one in the middle? Either way she went something would go wrong. If she got rid of the mark Sasuke would die, but if she didn't Orochimaru would take control and gain a whole butt load of power. Why was this happening? Why couldn't it just be all right for once. She just wanted things to be back to normal

Suddenly in the midst of all her panic, Naruto and Kakashi were by her side. They each grabbed onto one of Sasuke's arms and hoisted him to his feet.

"Sakura," Kakashi said. "You know what has to be done. The only way Orochimaru won't take control of his body is if he's killed. Go back to Konoha and we'll handle things here."

"No," Sakura whispered. "The mark…"

"He broke your heart and betrayed us all," Naruto continued where Kakashi left off. "There isn't one reason he should die free of the mark that started this. Who are you loyal to? Him or your village?"

"You can't make me choose like this!" Sakura shrieked at them. "Killing him isn't enough…the mark…"

"Yes, actually we can," Kakashi, challenged. With his free hand he pulled out a kunai and held it to Sasuke's neck. "If you don't run out of this building and back to Konoha right now we'll kill him in front of you, no mercy. If you try to seal the curse mark we'll kill you both."

_What kind of choice is that? _Inner Sakura objected. _Sasuke said himself that he's not going to survive and you're talking about killing him. The only difference in the other option is I would die too! DIE FREAKS!_

Naruto took up a stance similar to his and gave Sakura a grim smile. "He'd be executed anyway Sakura-chan," he said. "He knew he wouldn't live betraying the village. Frankly I have no idea why he even bothered coming back. Make your choice. And quickly if you don't mind."

"Sa…ku…ra," Sasuke gasped, his vision going black. "Please…"

"Sakura," Kakashi said. "Would you be able to live with yourself?"

"Sakura-chan," Naruto murmured. "Don't. Just leave him."

"NO!" Sakura screamed. "HE'S OUR TEAMMATE AND TRAITOR OR NOT I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT HE SURVIVES THIS! IF HE WANTS THE CURSE MARK REMOVED THEN I WILL REMOVE IT! DON'T YOU DARE MOVE THAT KUNAI KAKASHI OR I WILL MAKE SURE YOU'RE THE ONE TO DIE!"

A blast of Chakra erupted into both of Sakura's palms. It made a circle around her, cracking the ground. Naruto and Kakashi stepped back grinning as the Chakra made a protective shield around Sakura and Sasuke in the form of four six foot walls. Kakashi fell to the ground unconscious, but Naruto kept on his feet staring at the violent light of the Chakra and the two people it surrounded.

As he watched, the four walls of Chakra curved and met together forming a giant sphere. It seemed to be physically sharp because when Sakura's long flowing hair got in the way, it was sliced off. Lengthy pink strands floated down to where Itachi was situated. He caught one and examined it. Then he looked up at the orb his brother was enclosed in.

Inside the shield Sasuke gazed at Sakura in awe. Where the curse mark had burned his skin, it began to heal. Warm gentle Chakra glided the span of bone and wrapped it in a fresh layer of pale flesh, erasing all evidence of injury. When it reached the curse mark, it exploded with a violet light. Sasuke winced, not in pain, but in surprise at the sudden bright light.

The violet Chakra was beginning to spread out and fill the sphere. Sasuke was feeling light headed and dizzy. "Sakura…" he mumbled, closing his eyes. But this couldn't be Sakura, an inner voice persisted, there was simply too much Chakra for that to be possible. Sasuke couldn't think straight any more, his mind was going blank and cold. He shuddered, coughed up a bit of what he thought was blood, but turned out to be more purple Chakra, and drifted off into another world.

**A/N- I told you I wouldn't leave you hanging. This chapter is a bit rushed, but that's cuz I wanted to get it up as soon as possible!!!!! If you have any questions just leave a review and I'll answer at the beginning of chapter two!!!! **


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